Description

Excerpt: ...he called to the Shetland pony. Back up and we'll go home. But Toby did not seem to want to back up. He pulled the cart and the children in it, on toward the brook. At one side of the bridge was a little slope, leading down to the water. There were marks to show that horses and wagons had crossed there, driving through the stream. Whoa, Toby cried Bunny. Where are you going? The little pony was headed straight for the brook. Oh, I guess he wants a drink of water, said Sue. Maybe he does, agreed Bunny, as he saw that the pony was not going to stop. He pulls terrible hard on the reins, he went on. I guess he does want a drink, Sue. We'll let him have it, and then we'll turn around and drive back. Toby walked along until his front feet were in the water. Then, as he did not have on a cruel check-rein, which hurts horses and ponies, Toby could lean his nose right down into the water and take a drink. When horses have a check-rein on 123 they can't lower their heads to drink or eat until the strap is loosened. So if ever you have a horse or pony, don't put a check-rein on him. Toby's neck was free to bend any way he wanted it to, which is as it should be. Oh, Bunny, I know what let's do cried Sue, as Toby raised his head, having drunk enough water. What'll we do? asked Bunny. Let's drive right on through the water It won't come up over our cart, and it will wash the wheels nice and clean. All right. We'll do it, agreed Bunny. He remembered that once, when he and Sue were at Grandpa's farm, the old gentleman had driven his horses and the wagon, with the children in it, through a shallow brook, after letting the horses drink. This was at a place called a ford, and Bunny and Sue were at a ford in this brook. Gidap, Toby called Bunny, and the pony waded on into the water, pulling the cart after him. He seemed to like it, as the day was warm and there had been a lot of dust in the road. The water washed and cooled the pony's...show more